Undefeated: Special group sets standard at Garaway

Another win made it a perfect season for the Eighth Grade Football Team at Garaway last week, much to the joy of coaches, parents, fans, and, of course, members of the team.

“This is a great group of kids,” explained head coach Zach Mottice. “They are solid in the classroom and they really care about each other.”

Mottice explained that the group set a goal to be undefeated in July. “They wanted to do something special,” Mottice shared. “And even after losing one of their top performers, Ethan Miller, to injury, the team continued to push. They showed just how strong they really were.”

Mottice noted that this group is special without a doubt. “In my 18 years of coaching Middle School Football, I’ve never seen a group so invested in each other,” he said. “They care. They are friends on and off the field. I can see that their parents are also invested. I’ve not seen a group as well supported as these boys are. They have been raised right.”

The coach stated that he saw vast improvement in the team overall between seventh and eighth grade. “They have been playing football together since grade school,” Mottice explained. “They lost the first game of their seventh grade season, but that was it. They went undefeated in basketball last winter.”

The team outscored their opponents by a whopping 372 to 14 this season. “They played a good schedule, against tough opponents,” Mottice said. “They have set a standard now and we can’t wait to see what they do in the future.”

This story originally appeared in the October 24, 2018 edition of The Budget. For more news, pick up a copy of this week’s edition available Wednesdays at area retailers. Better yet, subscribe and the news will be delivered to you each week. For more information, call us at 330-852-4634.